What’s Hot

Find Something to Do

I Feel Like...

I Feel Like...

Like What? at places
Where? sometime
When?
What Kind of Food? at places
Where? with a wallet that's
How Full? with other perks including
What Options? to the beat of
What Kind of Music? at places
Where? sometime
When? at places
Where? on
When? aroundwith a glass of
What Kind Of Drink?

Leah Remini, left, and Jennifer Lopez appear in a scene from "Second Act." In the film, Lopez's business savvy character gets a shot to prove herself to Madison Avenue's elite thanks to an embellished resume.

Failed Movie Magic: Five films to avoid in theaters this week

Share This Story

It doesn't feel that nice to waste your money and your time on bad movies. Of course, your individual enjoyment is subjective, but here are five films in theaters this week that were panned by critics — either our own or reviewers from elsewhere on the internet.

Holmes and Watson

Among reports of people walking out mid-screening comes these words from Rafer Guzman of Newsday: "Holmes & Watson is one of those movies that goes beyond unfunny and into a comedy-cubist zone, where jokes are no longer recognizable and laughter is philosophically impossible."

Second Act

Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair writes that "It's a Jennifer Lopez vehicle, and thus still worth a look. But SecondAct's second act proves pretty hard to follow."

Mortal Engines

David Lewis of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that "there is fine craftsmanship on the screen, and the acting is competent, but the movie never quite reaches magical heights."

The Mule

Katie Walsh of Tribune News Service writes that "hundreds of people are responsible for The Mule, who very much should have known better than to release this bizarre, offensive debacle."

Mowgli

From Tribune News Service: "The film is shot with such beauty you can almost feel the heat of the jungle. [Director Andy] Serkis does an amazing job of giving the animals just enough human touches. Both are good qualities but are not enough to distract from the major questions looming over the production. Why? Was the world clamoring for another take on Kipling's stories? Has there been a movement to get more animals into films? Hasn't anyone got any original ideas using children, the jungle and a bunch of wild animals?"

Rohan Chand's Mowgli, left, and Nishi, voiced by Naomie Harris, in a scene from the film, "Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle," streaming on Netflix on Friday.